Becoming a Scholar: Cross-cultural reflections on identity and agency in an education doctorate

By Maria Savva

Becoming a Scholar provides a window into the lives of nine non-traditional doctoral students. As mature, part-time, international students enrolled in a professional doctorate programme, they reflect on the transformation process of becoming scholars, and their narratives provide breadth and depth to themes that represent a diverse cross-section of cultures, identities and communities.

Recognising that the process of becoming a scholar is as much internal as it is external, the book provides an opportunity to engage with authentic personal stories that remain firmly rooted in academic literature. By bringing the ‘human face’ behind the doctoral journey to the forefront, the narratives draw much-needed attention to the personal journey that inevitably parallels and intersects with the academic journey. Although the narratives are drawn from a professional Doctor in Education (EdD) programme based in the UK, the struggles are sure to resonate with a much wider range of doctoral students and academics, sparking lively discussion, debate and reflection. A must-read for students preparing to embark on the doctoral journey, and essential reading for doctoral programmes that wish to equip students with important knowledge about the challenges ahead.

Praise for Becoming a Scholar

'Extremely relevant to any student looking to pursue a doctoral degree in a rapidly diversifying, expanding academia that is increasingly repurposed for the needs of the job market rather than those of blue sky research.'
Nature Astronomy

'a refreshing, relatable and thought-provoking book about “becoming” and “belonging” as a scholar...The writing is lucid and compelling, delicately interweaving the authors’ personal narratives with critical discussion of the literature. The insights offered are also practical for scholars and scholars-in-the-making.'
Educational Review

'This book enriches the traditional academic discourse and contributes towards an increased understanding of the deeply personal and emotional aspects of the doctoral journey.'
Teacher Development

'This is an important book that contains points that are significant and stimulating for doctorate students and professionals getting ready for this journey, as well as for researchers, institutions, and policymakers.'
Journal of English for Research Publication Purposes

• Language: English
• Publisher: UCL Press
• Release date: Mar 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781787357693

Book preview

Becoming a Scholar

Becoming a Scholar

Cross-cultural reflections on identity and agency in an education doctorate

Edited by

Maria Savva and Lynn P. Nygaard

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First published in 2021 by

UCL Press

University College London

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London WC1E 6BT

Available to download free: www.uclpress.co.uk

Text © the authors, 2021

Collection © the editors, 2021

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This book is published under a Creative Commons 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0). This licence allows you to share, copy, distribute and transmit the work; to adapt the work and to make commercial use of the work providing attribution is made to the authors (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). Attribution should include the following information:

Savva, Maria and Nygaard, Lynn P. (eds) 2021. Becoming a Scholar: Cross-cultural reflections on identity and agency in an education doctorate. London: UCL Press. https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781787357662

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ISBN: 978-1-78735-768-6 (Hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-78735-767-9 (Pbk)

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781787357662

Contents

List of contributors

Foreword by Bryan Cunningham

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1.Belonging and becoming in academia: a conceptual framework

Lynn P. Nygaard and Maria Savva

2.A tale of two languages: first-language attrition and second-language immersion

Barbora Necas and Susi Poli

3.I found my tribe online: belonging in the context of precarity

Muireann O’Keeffe

4.A view of the Western university through the eyes of a non-Western student

Mohammad Abdrabboh (Al-Batran)

5.Navigating the pass: distance, dislocation and the viva

David Channon, with Maria Savva and Lynn P. Nygaard

6.Understanding the personal significance of our academic choices

Maria Savva

7.Academic identity interrupted: reconciling issues of culture, discipline and profession

Rab Paterson

8.Into the fray: becoming an academic in my own right

Lynn P. Nygaard

9. The cultural encounters of women on the periphery

Safa Bukhatir and Susi Poli

10. The ‘peripheral’ student in academia: an analysis

Maria Savva and Lynn P. Nygaard

Index

List of contributors

Maria Savva, PhD, is Associate Professor and Director of the International Studies Program at LaGuardia Community College, one of 25 colleges that make up the City University of New York. She has published widely on the intercultural development of international educators, with additional research interests in cross-cultural identity formation and the internationalisation of higher education. She holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Marymount Manhattan College, a graduate degree in Comparative and International Education from Columbia University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Education from UCL Institute of Education. Prior to joining academia, Maria taught in both primary and secondary schools in the United States and abroad. She is a New York State certified teacher and also holds Qualified Teacher Status in England and Wales. Her scholarly work is available at https://cuny.academia.edu/MariaSavvaPhD.

Lynn P. Nygaard, EdD, is Special Adviser at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Norway, where she helps researchers publish academically, secure grants and develop as professionals. Lynn is the author of Writing for Scholars: A practical guide to making sense and being heard (2015) and Writing Your Master’s Thesis: From A to Zen (2017), both published by SAGE. In addition to the support she provides to researchers at PRIO, she also holds writing retreats and workshops on academic writing for publication and presentation technique for researchers throughout Norway. She holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley, in women’s studies; a graduate degree in political science from the University of Oslo and a Doctorate in Education (EdD) from the Institute of Education, UCL. As a researcher, she uses ethnographic methods and bibliometric analyses to better understand the different contexts of academic writing and the wide variety of publishing practices.

Mohammad Abdrabboh (Al-Batran), EdD, started his career with the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) in 1980 as an ESL trainer. During his more than 34 years with the company, he performed a number of jobs in curriculum design, assessment, school management, career planning and HR consultation in various locations across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In 2012, Mohammad joined the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) as the Dean of Maaden Academy and led their efforts to establish Maaden Leadership Academy. In 2019, Mohammad joined Maaden North Promise Phosphate Company in the Northern Region of KSA as Head of Training Department. Concurrently, he is facilitating the Accreditation Programs for the Saudi Mining Polytechnic in Ara’ar and the School of Excellence in Turaif, Saudi Arabia.

Safa Bukhatir, EdD, is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Future International Nurseries, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Safa’s professional career started as a computer programmer, a computer training instructor and later a teacher of mathematics in a public middle school. She voluntarily withdrew from her career to start a family, choosing to resume her professional career later as Executive Director on the board of governors of a private international school. During that time, she completed an MEd in educational leadership at the University of Gloucestershire, UK. Having developed a particular interest in early childhood education, Safa decided to leave the school and establish her own preschool based on the International Early Years Curriculum. Her work in the field inspired her to join the EdD international programme in order to study the career progress of early years leaders in the public sector of the UAE. Her future academic interests include talent management in education.

David Channon, EdD, has been Teaching Fellow at the Centre for the Development of Academic Skills at Royal Holloway, University of London since 2015. His main area of responsibility is as programme leader for the pre-sessional course. Prior to this, he worked for 13 years as a teacher, a teacher-trainer and a project manager for the British Council in Myanmar. His research interests are in internationalisation, political education and teacher development. He is currently writing a book entitled Metaphors for Academic Practice, as well as leading a small environmental education project in the Caucasus.

Barbora Necas, MAEd (Applied Linguistics), MEd (Practitioner Research), is a qualified teacher of English as a Foreign Language (RSA Dip TEFLA) and has been working at the Centro Linguistico di Ateneo at the University of Bologna, Italy, since 2004. Her work centres on language teaching, learning and assessment. She teaches general purpose English for internationally recognised language accreditation to graduate and undergraduate students, Academic English Skills courses for doctoral students and Language Empowerment for Academics courses for faculty. Prior to this she worked at the Department of Languages, Literatures and Modern Cultures at the University of Bologna. She is a member of the Associazione Italiana di Anglistica. Raised bilingually herself in the UK (Czech/English), she has lived in Italy since graduating and has raised her own children in a trilingual family involving three generations experiencing the complexity of multicultural contexts.

Muireann O’Keeffe, EdD, is Academic Developer at Technological University Dublin, Ireland, where she coordinates the Postgraduate Certificate in University Level Learning and Teaching. She has worked in universities in Ireland and Scotland in e-learning and academic development roles. She has taught various courses on teaching, learning and assessment and previously coordinated a Master’s in Applied e-learning. Her research interests are in educational technology in higher education. For her doctorate she critically explored the use of Twitter for academic development and professional learning. She blogs on this and other educational matters at https://openuplearning.wordpress.com/.

Rab Paterson, MEd, MA, MS, is Principal Instructor for the Business English Skills and Training programme at Toyo University’s Center for Global Education and Exchange. He has lived in Japan since 2000 and has taught in multiple high-ranking Japanese universities including the University of Tokyo and Dokkyo, Rikkyo and Sophia universities. Additionally, he is Director of the Asia Association for Global Studies, serves on the Technical Advisory Committee for the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT), and is programme chair for the JALT Business Communications Special Interest Group. Rab is also a Fellow of the British Royal Asiatic Society, the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, is a recipient of the prestigious Apple Distinguished Educator and Google Innovator awards, and is a Google Certified Trainer.

Susi Poli, EdD, held a variety of positions as a manager in professional services at the University of Bologna and its satellite campuses, and is now Lead and Journey Manager of the University’s Climate-KIC Education. She has also worked abroad within UK higher education contexts and the non-profit sector as well as in several universities in Europe. She holds an MBA in Higher Education Management from the Institute of Education, University of London and a professional doctorate (also in Higher Education Management) from UCL Institute of Education. Her research and publications cover higher education and its management, gender equality and careers of women in leadership posts, the professional development of staff and early-stage researchers, research management, harassment and diversity in research, cross-cultural understanding and social entrepreneurship. Susi is also one of the advisers at Aequip, a London-based start-up aiming to help everyone thrive in the workplace.

Foreword

Bryan Cunningham, UCL Institute of Education

As someone who left school at 16 years of age, and with serial experience both of being an adult returner and subsequently, over many years, teaching this ‘species’ of student, I found a great deal in this book immensely resonant. A number of the syndromes described by its contributors are ones I know very well indeed; I have been personally affected by them, and have frequently supported, as best as I can, others being made anxious and unsettled by them: ‘imposter syndrome’ and lack of confidence come especially to mind. Their effects can be particularly concerning at the doctoral level, given the intellectual challenges of what is entailed in working towards a doctorate, and the very distinctive nature of the educational milieu in which individuals suddenly find themselves.

I believe, therefore, that what the editors and their collaborators have given us is a volume that, I will predict with confidence, is destined to become a highly significant resource in higher education. In saying so, I do not have in mind a readership consisting only of those individuals assessed as being ‘international’ as they embark on professional doctorates in education; in my view a number of other constituencies stand to benefit greatly from the book’s publication. I do not want to distract attention away from the book’s prime concern, the experience of international students on an education doctorate (EdD) offered by a UK university. However, I have been repeatedly struck by the relevance to other constituencies in many of the contributors’ reflections.

I will, for example, firstly observe that a great many of the perspectives voiced by the book’s contributors – as ‘international’ graduates of the particular Doctorate in Education (EdD) described by Savva and Nygaard – are ones that I can see would very clearly have strong messages for ‘home’ students. The highly engaging auto-ethnographical work to be found here very convincingly mirrors what I have read in the reflective writing produced by many of my ‘home’ supervisees: ‘I have made substantive progress in developing my thinking, analysis, reflection and understanding of both my professional practice and research questions I wanted to pursue’ (Boorman, 2011: ii).

The perspectives, reflections (and often, informed recommendations) are also ones that could be of immense value to individuals who are simply at the stage of contemplating moving on from their master’s studies to work at doctoral level. The very notion of a doctorate can, in my own professional experience, often be one that is not always immediately accessible to students even at master’s level. It can be wrapped up in a whole world of arcane jargon and practices that are perplexing to the uninitiated but which the book’s contributors have so engagingly illuminated, thus serving to demystify them.

I would suggest, however, that the group of individuals who above all others may well find their insights and professional practice enhanced comprises those of us who supervise doctoral level work. For example, I feel we ought to consider the proposition that any of the observations made here with regard to such desirable supervisory practices as empathy and cultural sensitivity will be just as valued by home students as they are described as being by their international peers. Further, if we should always be mindful of the need to clearly and supportively induct new doctoral candidates into the ‘rules of engagement’ applicable to the student–supervisor relationship, then surely it is misguided to do so only when we perceive (and possibly stereotype) someone as being in need of such an induction by virtue of their ‘international’ status.

I for one will readily acknowledge that on first becoming involved with doctoral supervision, over two decades ago, I would have greatly appreciated the kind of professional – and intellectual – activities that Savva and Nygaard point to in the concluding chapter. They write that the narratives in this volume suggest that supervisors could benefit from increased opportunities within their institutions to reflect on their roles, both in a context with other supervisors and with their students. Viewed through this kind of lens, we might well concede that the ‘consciousness in transition’ referred to by Andrews and Edwards (2008) is a process to be profitably experienced not only by doctoral candidates but by their supervisors as well.

The resilience and adaptability required when working towards an EdD come across strongly in many of the contributors’ narratives. These attributes often entail the realisation that whereas in your own professional sphere you have been, and are, accorded expert status and due deference, by becoming a research student you are then challenged by the novice status of a beginning doctoral student. Elsewhere, Savva, in recollecting her entry into the world of submitting papers for peer review, presenting at conferences and so on, draws attention to the important shifts whereby she was able to transition out of her role as a passive student to one of an active scholar. Such transitions call for coping strategies of a very particular kind; it is by no means an easy adjustment to make, after possibly years in a senior role in education, leading and managing others, to then find yourself in a position that must inevitably, in many regards, be experienced as a subservient one.

I wish this important book very well, and to express my hope that all of its contributing authors have discovered the truth of what Jeffrye Boakye has recently so eloquently expressed:

We write to make sense of personal and public histories. To illuminate the complex intersections of self and context and expose ruptures in identity, for better or worse. We write to give shape to narratives that shift and sink, ebb and flow. We write to give ourselves ballast (Boakye, 2019: 91).

References

Andrews, D. and Edwards, C. 2008. ‘Consciousness in transition: The experience of doctoral study’. In Exploring Professionalism, edited by B. Cunningham, 1–9. London: Institute of Education Press.

Boakye, J. 2019. Black, Listed: Black British culture explored. London: Dialogue Books.

Boorman, A.F. 2011. ‘Why Do Some Access to Higher Education Students Embrace Critical Pedagogy While Others Resist?’. EdD thesis, London: Institute of Education.

Dr Bryan Cunningham is Associate Professor of Education at UCL Institute of Education. For over two decades one of his principal roles involved contributing to the Doctor in Education (EdD) programme. He was module leader for Foundations of Professionalism in Education which was the first taught module taken by all EdD programme participants. He has extensive experience serving as both a supervisor and an examiner of EdD candidates. His special interests in professional life and learning have given rise to various publications, most notably the two edited volumes Exploring Professionalism (2008) and Professional Life in Modern British Higher Education (2014).

Acknowledgements

When we first embarked on this project, none of us knew exactly what this book would become, or exactly where it would take us as individuals. We are thankful to the contributing authors who took the time to share very personal struggles, often exposing their own vulnerabilities in the process. This courageous contribution cannot be emphasised enough as their work not only adds to the traditional academic discourse, but also contributes towards an increased understanding of the deeply personal and emotional aspects of the doctoral journey. For these reasons, the stories shared by the authors have the unique potential of helping those who may come after them. We would like to also give thanks to the peer reviewers, whose valuable comments helped the authors lift and better situate their stories into the relevant academic discourses.

Institutionally, we would like to acknowledge the Professional Staff Congress of the City University of New York, which provided valuable support in covering various expenses associated with both the effort and publication costs of this book. Finally, we are thankful to UCL Press for recognising the vision of our project and its unique contribution to the doctoral experiences of less traditional students. We are particularly excited that this book is open access, freely available to others online. Rejecting the requirement to pay in order to access knowledge is an important step to achieving equity and social justice and we are pleased to join this movement with UCL Press.

Introduction

Discussions about the direction of doctoral programmes and alarmingly high attrition rates in universities throughout the world often seem to presuppose that doctoral students are not only similar to one another, but also that they generally pursue a doctorate in the same discipline and country throughout their academic careers, and that this academic career is uninterrupted. However, internationalisation and globalisation are ensuring that growing numbers of students undertake a doctorate across national boundaries. Likewise, a sharp increase in distance-mode learning that is likely to endure in the post-COVID-19 era, along with the widening of the university to be more accessible to all, have meant that greater numbers of mature and part-time students are returning to the university after developing as professionals. In a university setting that is built primarily for full-time, physically present students, these international, part-time and mature students can thus be seen as being on the periphery of higher education. Does that make their doctoral journey different from that of other students?

The purpose of this book is to look more closely at how the personal, professional and academic dimensions of the doctoral journey come together to bring about identity transformation. By situating the personal narratives of international, part-time and mature doctoral students within various academic discourses, this book aims to gives a ‘human face’ to the process of academic identity development for this growing demographic. Each narrative provides a window into how academic identity develops over time and as a result of varied external and internal factors. To place these individual narratives more firmly in the context of larger discourses in academic research, they are framed by a theory chapter that outlines the key concepts, mechanisms and assumptions we draw from, and an analysis chapter that pulls together the main findings across chapters. Readers will find that many of the narratives support popular findings in academic research, while a few counter and challenge long-held assumptions. Still others expose gaps in research that would benefit from further study. All the narratives, however, coalesce to foreground the complexity and nuances of the doctoral journey – and together give a voice to students who typically operate on the periphery of higher education.

Coming together as a cohort

Our story begins in a part-time Doctor in Education (EdD) programme offered at the UCL Institute of Education. It is the beginning of the academic year and a cohort of about 20 students has assembled in a classroom. The students, however, are not from London nor do they live anywhere in the United Kingdom. Instead, they have travelled to the opening session of a doctorate programme designed specifically for students living outside the United Kingdom. Combining mandatory week-long, in-person modules with distance work, the programme allows students to continue living in their home countries while they work on obtaining a doctorate in the United Kingdom. The students hail from countries as diverse as Cyprus, Ethiopia, Hungary, Pakistan, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Myanmar, Norway, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand. They are also visibly older, many of them in their 40s or 50s, and as they go around the room introducing themselves it becomes evident that these are already well-established education professionals with many years of experience in their fields. Among the group are teachers (general, special education and English as an additional language), principals, research managers, education technology specialists, an academic writing coach, a nursery school owner and even a training director in an oil company.

This is the scenario that marked the beginning of our doctoral journey. For the next year and a half, as part-time doctoral students, we would meet each term in London to receive training in mandatory week-long modules. The lectures covered a wide range of research-related topics and were intensive, often running from nine in the morning until six in the evening. The intensive nature of the week-long modules meant that we spent a significant amount of time together. Not knowing anyone besides each other while in London, it was not uncommon for some of us to spend time together outside the classroom exploring the city. In time, we became familiar not only with each other’s professional and academic interests, but also the personal circumstances that inspired each of us to enrol in the programme.

When we were not attending modules in London, many of us continued to provide support to one another through group chats and email correspondence. Indeed, the peer support and networks developed in those first years contributed positively towards our sense of belonging and general well-being. This remained the case even as some of our paths diverged later on. Some of us, for example, eventually decided to shift to a conventional PhD, while others took a formal break from studies for various personal reasons. Despite this divergence, the cohesiveness among many in the cohort remained strong, and close contact was maintained.

Milestones in the EdD

Once the mandatory taught modules were complete, we began what was called an Institution Focused Study (IFS). The IFS was a research assignment of approximately 20,000 words that involved the study of an institution or organisation that each student was professionally affiliated with. Its completion was followed by an upgrade interview, where the quality of each student’s portfolio up until that point was evaluated. With supervisors looking on as observers, the upgrade interview was conducted by two readers (other faculty members,